July 24, 2012

Mack Brown says Texas QB battle still remains

A year ago, Mack Brown said, Texas was headed into fall camp with four quarterbacks looking for one to earn the starting job.After a couple transfers, the battle is down to two a year later with David Ash and Case McCoy left to battle for the starting spot this August."What we have done now, we have two older guys that have been through a year with the Bryan Harsin and Major Applewhite offense. They both won significant games, one against -- Case against A&M in College Station at the end of the year, David Ash in the Bowl game against Cal. So we're coming in at a much better place this year than we were last year.”Brown said Ash, a sophomore from Belton High School, and, McCoy, a junior from Graham High School who is Colt's brother, left spring practice even. But reporters who regularly cover Texas say Ash was the clear favorite after spring practice and took 80 percent of the reps. Still, Brown maintained the starting role is still up for grabs.“They've had a very competitive summer, and both of them are in the mix and we should have a great battle at that position in preseason,” Brown said. “I feel like that one of those guys will separate himself some in preseason and it will give us the other guy to come off the bench and play if need be.”Brown invoked former Longhorn greats Vince Young and Colt McCoy as if to commiserate with Texas fans who long for a top quarterback.“There's no question those are two of the best quarterbacks to ever play college football,” Brown said. “You'd like to have that luxury. But even then, if they get hurt like Colt did in the National Championship Game, you're usually inexperienced in the backup role. But, obviously, that's a key to us being better is we need to play better at quarterback. And I think that means we need to have more explosive plays from that position and at the same time we need to protect the ball better.”